


The Old Friend

by WahlBuilder



Category: Mars: War Logs
Genre: Dom/sub Undertones, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Rough Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 14:41:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17768714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WahlBuilder/pseuds/WahlBuilder
Summary: How the meeting between Roy and Tenacity really went.





	The Old Friend

Roy isn’t happy that Innocence has joined the Resistance—more so because they urged him to join so quickly while denying Roy outright (not that he was willing). They capitalised on Innocence’s grief and anger, hoping to radicalise him, no doubt. But it is Innocence’s decision. All Roy can do is assure Innocence he has his back, no matter wha—

His thoughts run into a halt when he nearly spears himself on a blade. He jumps to the side on instinct, clenching a fist…

‘Tenacity?’

‘He finally notices me! Hurray!’

It is indeed the head-hunter, and Roy is stricken momentarily with longing. It feels as though no time has passed—but it is an illusion. Tenacity’s jacket is dustier and more worn than he remembers, and there is more grey in Tenacity’s beard and on his temples. No dogs. And a dark bruise on his forehead.

‘It appears I didn’t train you well enough, _Roy bach_ , if you lose focus so easily,’ Tenacity says with a grin that doesn’t spell anything good, and lunges at Roy.

He dances away, the blade scraping his jacket. ‘Tenacity, what the fuck?’

‘A fancy glove you have here!’

He hides his left hand behind his back, though it is futile. Tenacity isn’t stupid and he’s one of the few people who’s known for years. Roy trusted him with it.

‘You know, Roy,’ Tenacity drawls, stepping around him, prowling on soft feet. It is such a familiar sight it makes Roy ache, even amid the confusion. ‘One handsome fuck has come to me recently with his Technomantic friends—’

Roy winces.

‘Yeah, Roy. And you know, they were looking for someone. One of theirs. Temperance by the name, but apparently goes by _Roy_ now—and they really, really want him found and brought to them. They offered me a bounty, but since we became such fast friends,’ Tenacity touches his bruised forehead with the flat of his blade, ‘and they became friends with my _dog_ —’

‘Tenacity, I’m sor—’ The words are knocked out of him when he’s pushed into the wall and pinned there, the blade cluttering to the floor.

‘I thought you were _dead_ , you fuck,’ Tenacity growls, his breath full of blood and alcohol, his blue-grey eyes bloodshot, ‘and then they come to me and tell me you are alive and the whole of Shadowlair is on the lockdown because of you. And I thought, oh, Roy would check on his old pal Tenacity if he were in trouble.’

‘Tena—’

‘ _I’m_ talking here!’ Tenacity twists a hand in his scarf, choking him. ‘A year, you fuck, a whole _year_ with no news, and with the war, you shit, I was _scared_ to look for you, to go near the front and to find you a brain-dead suicide bomber, you _shit_ …’ Tenacity’s voice dies in a broken whisper, and he looks away quickly, fingers tearing Roy’s scarf into threads.

Roy reaches up and touches the bruise—Tenacity jerks, hissing.

‘I’m sorry about your dog.’ He pushes a strand of dark-red hair away from Tenacity’s forehead.

‘Stuff your sorry where—’ Tenacity works his jaws, then looks at him again. ‘I’ve been following you for a while—and you didn’t even notice, all wrapped up in that lad. They are _looking_ for you, _Roy bach_. I don’t know why, but fuck me if I—’

They hurt Tenacity because of him. Killed his hound, seems like, beat him—him, one of the proudest fuckers on Mars. All because of Roy.

‘Are you going to bring me to them?’ he asks quietly. He needs to know. He can knock Tenacity out—but not without using Technomancy—and they would know. He’d have to leave Shadowlair immediately—to protect Mary, Innocence, Tenacity himself, he can’t let them find out about Innocence… Spirits, how is he going to protect Mary?

‘Like fuck,’ Tenacity rasps again—and kisses him hard.

Tenacity does taste of blood and too much alcohol, something cheap—but Tenacity doesn’t slur his words, and his usual drawl is gone, chased away by anger and…

Tenacity bites his lips, making Roy gasp, and it’s been a _year_ , and…

‘Te—’

Tenacity thrusts his tongue into his mouth, and it’s been too long, and Tenacity is radiating heat as usual, ridiculous in his open jacket, just how many new scars Roy will find?..

He takes Tenacity’s face in his palms and pulls back, and runs fingers of his right hand through Tenacity’s hair—matted and crusty with blood. ‘Let me look at you,’ he whispers. His lips, cheeks are burning from Tenacity’s kisses, his whiskers and beard. Everything is so sharp and real.

‘I thought you were dead,’ Tenacity whispers in turn. Words tangled, running in circles. His breathing wet and uneven.

‘I’m not. I promise I’m not. Let me look at you. You might have a concussion.’ He walks Tenacity away from the wall and sits him on the bench. Tenacity doesn’t let go of his left hand, so warm Roy can feel it even through the glove, his grip bruising, a shock after going for so long with touches that only bring violence.

Roy rakes fingers of his right hand carefully again through Tenacity’s hair (so lush usually, so terrible now) but there are only bumps. And Tenacity’s pupils are even.

‘You look a right mess, Old Hound,’ he concludes, scratching the nape of Tenacity’s neck.

‘Bugger off,’ Tenacity grumbles. He sounds more like himself. He strokes Roy’s hand over the glove. ‘Put this on for the lad?’

‘I had no choice.’

‘You had. And you chose to protect him. I heard things.’

Of course Tenacity did. He’s the best at what he does.

‘I’m sorry,’ Roy murmurs. ‘You need a shower.’

‘No, no, important things first.’ Tenacity looks up. The grey-blue clearer now. ‘Let me help. Let me have your back again.’

He tilts his head, smirks. ‘And give you an opportunity to stare at my arse?’

Tenacity rolls his eyes. ‘If there had been anything to stare at…’

He yelps when Roy closes his fingers on the thick neck, sending a small charge, leans low and murmurs, ‘Is this the way to talk to your Majesty?’

‘If Majesty,’ Tenacity rasps, ‘takes the shower with me, he can order me to talk however he wants, or not at all.’

Roy nuzzles under Tenacity’s ear. ‘I’m glad you’ve found me.’

‘I’m glad you are alive,’ Tenacity murmurs, arms coming round Roy, sure and tight. ‘We can always work with that.’

**Author's Note:**

> Written thanks to musings inspired by The Technomancer Discord folks. <3
> 
> p.s. the dog was hurt, but then nursed to health.


End file.
